John Coleman admits two years of hurt have spurred his side on to the verge of promotion to League One.
Win against fourth placed Exeter on Saturday and Stanley will secure promotion to the third tier of English football for the first time - they played third tier football in 1958-60 but that was due to restructuring.
Coleman was heartbroken when, in the 2015/16 season, the Reds missed out on promotion by one goal – not scoring for the only time that season at home to Stevenage to drop into the play-offs.
“I am still getting over it,” said Coleman. “It was a bitterly disappointing day and the circumstances around it, with us hitting the post in injury time and then Bristol Rovers scoring a late, late goal at Dagenham to go above us and go up.
“It hurt us but hopefully this season we can have a happy ending.”
Coleman continued: “It is different to 2016 as we have a few chances to do it, it isn't all about one day as it was then.
“The owner Andy Holt says it's probably a blessing in disguise we didn't go up two seasons ago as we weren't as well prepared as we are now but I would have wanted to give it a go.
“He is right in that we are better equipped as a club, we are more stable and we have got players on longer contracts – but that doesn't stop the hurt of 2016.
“We know though, that while we are in a healthy position now, that's all we are. We know, from 2016, anything can happen and we haven't achieved anything yet.”